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Divestitures
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2024
Divestitures [Abstract]  
Divestitures
Note 7 Divestitures
UScellular
On August 4, 2023, TDS and UScellular announced that the Boards of Directors of both companies decided to initiate a process to explore a range of strategic alternatives for UScellular. On May 28, 2024, UScellular announced that its Board of Directors unanimously approved the execution of a Securities Purchase Agreement (Securities Purchase Agreement) by and among TDS, UScellular, T-Mobile US, Inc. (T-Mobile) and USCC Wireless Holdings, LLC, pursuant to which, among other things, UScellular has agreed to sell its wireless operations and select spectrum assets to T-Mobile for a purchase price, subject to adjustment as specified in the Securities Purchase Agreement, of $4,400 million, which is payable in a combination of cash and the assumption of up to approximately $2,000 million in debt. The transaction is expected to close in mid-2025, subject to the receipt of regulatory approvals and the satisfaction of customary closing conditions. UScellular expects to present the wireless operations and select spectrum assets sold to T-Mobile as discontinued operations if and when the accounting criteria is met.
The strategic alternatives review process is ongoing as UScellular seeks to opportunistically monetize its spectrum assets that are not subject to the Securities Purchase Agreement. During the three and six months ended June 30, 2024, TDS incurred third-party expenses of $21 million and $33 million, respectively, related to the strategic alternatives review, which are included in Selling, general and administrative expenses.
As a result of executing the Securities Purchase Agreement, UScellular re-considered its unit of accounting for wireless spectrum licenses and bifurcated the historical single unit of accounting into two units of accounting – wireless spectrum licenses to be sold under the Securities Purchase Agreement and wireless spectrum licenses to be retained. UScellular also assessed whether an impairment test of its wireless spectrum licenses was required and determined that it is more likely than not that the fair value of the wireless spectrum licenses in both units of accounting continues to exceed their respective carrying values.
UScellular also assessed whether the execution of the Securities Purchase Agreement constituted a significant change in the way it expects to operate its long-lived assets. Specifically, given the Securities Purchase Agreement, and UScellular's plan to divest of its wireless operations, UScellular expects to generate cash flows from the wireless operations separately from the retained business. Therefore, UScellular bifurcated the historical single asset group into two asset groups – wireless and towers. UScellular also assessed whether an impairment test of its long-lived assets was required and determined that there was no triggering event present that may require a recoverability test.
As part of the transaction, UScellular entered into a Put/Call Agreement with T-Mobile whereby T-Mobile has the right to call certain spectrum assets and UScellular has the right to put certain spectrum assets to T-Mobile for an aggregate agreed upon price of $106 million. The call option notice period started on May 24, 2024, and the put exercise period starts at the close of the broader transaction. There was no cash exchanged at the inception of the Put/Call Agreement. All license transfers pursuant to any put/call are subject to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approval. At inception, UScellular will account for this instrument as a net written call option and will record such option at fair value each reporting period unless/until such option is exercised or terminated. UScellular estimated the fair value of the net written call option at $8 million as of June 30, 2024, which was recorded to Other deferred liabilities and credits in the Consolidated Balance Sheet and (Gain) loss on license sales and exchanges, net in the Consolidated Statement of Operations.
TDS Telecom
On May 31, 2024, TDS Telecom entered into an agreement with a third-party to sell certain incumbent markets in Virginia for a purchase price of $31 million. The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2024, subject to customary regulatory approvals and closing conditions. The assets and liabilities of the markets being sold have been classified as held for sale in the Consolidated Balance Sheet as of June 30, 2024.
Other
On May 31, 2024, TDS entered into an agreement to sell its wholly-owned subsidiaries OneNeck IT Solutions LLC and OneNeck Data Center Holdings LLC (collectively, OneNeck) to a third-party for a purchase price, subject to adjustment as specified in the agreement, of $101 million, with an additional $9 million of contingent proceeds. The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2024, subject to customary regulatory approvals and closing conditions. The assets and liabilities of OneNeck have been classified as held for sale in the Consolidated Balance Sheet as of June 30, 2024.